IES Castelao

Things are not always what they seem to be. Neither this book, its world, nor its main character is. Kvothe –one of his many names-, one of the greatest legends of his time, lives in a retreat, far from the civilization where his memory keeps alive –either with admiration or rejection. Master in everything he has tried –a skilful duellist, a virtuoso on the lute, an arcane prodigy- his story is covered with darkness, as it is –in the rural town where he resides- his figure. However, everything will soon change with the arrival of Devan Lochees, best known as “Chronicler”, who will discover Kvothe real identity after being saved by him, and who will ask him to write his biography, a proposal which –despite his doubts- he will end up consenting (upon stating that this wouldn’t take him more than three days).

                        And thus it starts the first of Patrick Rothfuss’ books, and one of the best ones regarding modern fantasy. Since the very beginning, the author captivates us with a simple (although beautiful and almost poetic) style. The world he presents is fascinating: not only for what we know about it, but also for the things we do not know -which are the most-. It is mysterious, tenebrous and filled with a strange magic whose real dimensions cannot be perceived until we have dived deeper into the book. Kvothe´s story is engaging, and, as the world itself, enigmatic: although we are given plenty of details, we still ignore why a lot of things happen, and, of course, we do not know anything beyond the things that have been told to us. Kvothe had a tragic childhood -which we must find out in the book and not in this review- which he was able to overcome employing his incredible skills in every aspect of his life; and, for what we can guess, he had further difficulties in life apart from his childhood. We don’t know anything about them either, but the reader can assume there is something strange –as well as fascinating and complex- about the character, and that is part of what keeps us reading his adventures. However, Kvothe is not the only important individual in these pages: if there is something that stands out among all the good things of the book is the depth of Patrick Rothfuss’ characters, making them unforgettable. The mysterious disciple of Kvothe, Bast; his lovely, long-dead parents; Abenthy, his first master…even his very enemies are complex characters that the reader can feel identified with –or hate.

                        It is impossible to express all the things that a masterpiece like this makes the reader feel; but the above-mentioned points might be enough to give a vague image of what one can experiment. A memorable plot (where many real life problems show up), captivating and deep characters, a mysterious and exotic world as well as the style of a real master make this book an essential: one of the best not only among fantasy books, but also in modern literature.

                                                                     Hernán Comesaña 2º Bac C